"The Banana Boys" Book Review

Paper Summary:

This paper examines Terry Woo's "The Banana Boys", a fiction book about Chinese born Canadian youths. The derogatory term, 'banana boy', refers to the fact that they are 'yellow' (that is, Chinese) on the outside, but 'white' (that is, Canadian) inside. The paper discusses how each of the boys has a distinct way of dealing with his identity of a 'banana boy', implying that there is no single Asian-Canadian experience. Finally, the paper adds that the book is relevant not only to the Chinese community in Canada but to the larger Canadian community as well, made up, to a large extent, of immigrants and their children.

From the Paper:

"This book is of great relevance both to the Chinese-Canadian and to all other Canadians too. It is a unique work of literature that tells a story of the Chinese Canadians in present time, and their attempts to carve a unique identity for themselves, each of the boys in his own way. They may have tried hard to fit in with the "Chinese" identity or the "Canadian" identity, but there will never be a distinct group for them to fit in completely and fully belong. The "Chinese" and the "Canadians" do not quite claim them as their own, so they search for their own unique identity in pop culture. Many Asian Canadians who have been born in this country or who group up here may find that the 'banana boys' resemble them in many ways, and that the experiences of the 'banana boys' with racism, culture, work, etc. are also their own experiences. Furthermore, other Canadians who are also coming from different cultures may find that the book appeals to them too. The children of immigrants are often faced with identity questions much like the characters of "Banana Boys", and the silent cultural clash is something many experience."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Woo, Terry. (2000). Banana Boys. Toronto: The Riverbank Press.

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